A Cronkite News Service Weekend Special
Voters for life: Kids Voting Arizona connects elections to the classroom
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By MIKE MARTINEZ
Cronkite News Service
TUCSON _ If he were president, fourth-grader Mikey Yeager would pay teachers better and give schools more playground equipment. And he’s signed an oath promising to do so.
His classmate, Pilar Grimes, pledges work for peace and take better care of the environment.
With the presidential election coming to a close, students in this classroom at Fruchthendler Elementary School were learning what it takes to be educated voters through Kids Voting Arizona, a program that helps schools connect the election to the classroom. Its goal: creating voters for life.
On this morning, Karen Bettenhausen taught Yeager, Grimes and others in her class about the election by having them write oaths of what they would accomplish as president.
With red, white and blue bulletin boards featuring the Republican Party and John McCain and the Democrats and Barack Obama, children shuttled back and forth to have Bettenhausen review their oaths.
In an earlier exercise, students used computers to track mock vote totals for the presidential election. Obama won the popular vote, but then came a surprise: he lost in the Electoral College.
“It was a really good eye-opener for the kids,” Bettenhausen said.
Kids Voting Arizona, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization started in 1988 by a group of East Valley business leaders, has tens of thousands of students, from kindergarten through 12th grade, registering to vote and casting ballots at school and online. About 145,000 students voted statewide during the 2004 presidential election.
The program has expanded across the country as Kids Voting USA.
Kevin Ruegg, executive director and CEO of Kids Voting Arizona, said the program is valuable not only because it educates kids but because it helps encourage their parents to vote.
“If kids are excited about voting, the higher the chances are for parents to participate in the voting process as well,” Ruegg said.
Kids Voting Arizona offers teaching tools that are tailored to different grade levels. The curriculum explains elections and shows students how they can become informed voters.
“I think one of the most important elements of the program is that our teachers are helping show our kids that voting is an important right that has to be protected and that their voice in the community matters,” Ruegg said.
At Sedona Red Rock High School, Principal David Lykins said Kids Voting Arizona had the school organizing a mock debate with students taking the positions of Obama and McCain. Students who had turned 18 registered to vote.
“We are trying to simulate real-life experiences, and the Arizona Kids Voting curriculum has helped teach our students the democratic process of our country,” Lykins said.
At Fruchthendler Elementary, Principal John Heidel said Kids Voting Arizona is important because it keeps students of all grade levels up to date with the election and helps them understand government.
“The program is of high value to all students who have been given the opportunity to use it because it reinforces awareness about issues and involvement in the community,” Heidel said.
In Bettenhausen’s class, Mikey Yeager said he’s learned a lot.
“If Sen. Barack Obama wins he’s going to be the first African-American to be president,” Yeager said, “and if John McCain wins his vice president’s going to be the first girl and he’s going to be the oldest president.”
Pilar Grimes said, “We’ve learned how the system works and the standards you have to be to vote and what the standards you have to be to run for president, vice president. And we’ve learned a lot about the government.”
Bettenhausen said she has used Kids Voting Arizona curriculum in social studies, reading and writing instruction. She’s proud of how knowledgeable her students are about the election.
“These kids are fourth-graders, but they already know more about the government than so many people in our population,” Bettenhausen said.
Lara Slifko, the resource development director for Arizona Kids Voting, said surveys show that students enjoy being part of the electoral process.
“Kids commented how they loved the opportunity to be involved because it gives them a chance to have their voices heard,” Slifko said.
Emma Bogan, another member of Bettenhausen’s class, said Kids Voting Arizona has shown her that elections can include surprises.
“We’ve learned that if it seems like one person’s going to win it could turn around and somebody else wins,” she said.
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Web Link:
_ Kids Voting Arizona: www.kidsvotingaz.org
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PHOTOS:
Click thumbnails to see full-resolution images and download; caption information is in the file under File>File Info.
CAPTION FOR BC-CNS-KIDS VOTING: Karen Bettenhausen (right), a teacher at Fruchthendler Elementary School in Tucson, works with Noah Van Alsburg, a member of her her fourth grade class, during a session devoted to Kids Voting Arizona, a program intended to help kids become educated voters when they reach 18. (Cronkite News Service Photo/Mike Martinez)
CAPTION FOR BC-CNS-KIDS VOTING: Pilar Grimes, a fourth-grader at Fruchthendler Elementary School in Tucson, said she would would work for peace and take better care of the environment if she were president. Grimes and her classmates made campaign promises as part of Kids Voting Arizona, a program intended to help kids become educated voters when they reach 18. (Cronkite News Service Photo/Mike Martinez)
CAPTION FOR BC-CNS-KIDS VOTING: Mikey Yeager, a fourth-grader at Fruchthendler Elementary School in Tucson, said he would pay teachers more and provide schools with more playground equipment if he were president. Yeager and his classmates made campaign promises as part of Kids Voting Arizona, a program intended to help kids become educated voters when they reach 18. (Cronkite News Service Photo/Mike Martinez)